Lashing and unlashing device



March 23, 1965 e. M. PFUNDT LASHING AND UNLASHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15, 1962 INVENTOR.

March 23, 1965 M, PFUNDT 3,174,725.-

LASHING AND UNLASHING DEVICE Filed March 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II 'III K Y INVENTOR. I GfORGE/fP/FUNDT i 1 BY HTTORNEY United States Patent Ofice 3,l74,725 Patented Mar. 23, race 3,174,725 LASHING AND UNLASHKNG DEVECE George M. Pfundt, 87 Bustleton Pike, Churchviile, Pa. Filed Mar. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 179,991 13 (Zlaims. (Cl. 254134.3)

This invention relates to devices for lashing and unlashing two elongated members such, for example, as a hose with a support strand between two ships at sea in facilitating refueling of a ship without the necessity of going into port. More particularly, the invention deals with a simple mechanical device of the character defined controlling the lashing and unlashing operations and including means for automatically stopping the operation of the lasher and hose feed at the end of the lashing operation.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FlG. 1 is a schematic isometric showing of a lashing device made according to my invention, diagrammatically illustrating the beginning of the lashing operation, the various mechanisms being schematically shown to simplify this illustration with no accuracy as to the dimensions of the several parts.

FIG. 2 is a side view, diagrammatically illustrating the forward portion of the main frame of the device, with several parts of the structure broken away and in section, also illustrating parts of the rear portion of the device in section and illustrating the line storage means of the main frame, for the most part, in dot-dash lines to simplify the illustration.

FIG. 3 is a section generally on the broken line 3-3 of FIG. 2, omitting most of the background showing and diagrammatically illustrating one of the lash line guide pulleys of the device in dot-dash lines.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the rear portion of the device, with parts of the structure shown broken away and in section, illustrating part of an elongated pinion in dot-dash lines to simplify the showing and illustrating, in part, the means on a servicing ship for support of the main frame.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, generally on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, with par-ts of the construction broken away in illustrating the gear drive.

FIG. 6 is a section, generally on the line 66 of FIG. 2, with parts of the construction broken away and indieating in dot-dash lines one of the line guide pulleys of the device.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail view through a portion of the line storage means of the main frame, showing the arrangement of the lash line in the threaded portion of the frame; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of the forward portion of the lasher, diagrammatically illustrating the probe fixed to the end of the tube, with the parts in the position at the completion of the unlashing operation, parts of the construction being broken away and parts shown in section.

Turning now to the schematic showing of FIG. 1, 10 represents the main frame of the device which has, at its inner end, a generally U-shaped frame 11, note FIG. 4, including, at its forward portion, a bottom plate 12, the frame 11 having pivot extensions 13 cairying threaded pins 14 for pivotal mounting on suitable supports shown, in part, at 15 in FIG. 4, said supports being mounted on the servicing ship. From this servicing ship, the fuel tube 16 and support strand are fed by suitable means through the main frame 19 which, forwardly of the frame 11, is tubular in form. The forward end of the tubular portion of the main frame is threaded, as seen clearly at 18 in FIG. 7 of the drawing, for storage of the lashing line 19. The end of the lashing line 19 is fixed to the threaded end of the frame, as diagrammatically seen at 19' in FIG. 1 of the drawing.

Considering FIG. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that a hose guide pulley 29 is freely mounted on a pin 21 supported in side members of the frame 11, spacing collars 22 being employed to properly locate the pulley 20. The pulley it is also clearly shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing.

Mounted on the forward end of the main frame is another generally U-shaped frame 23, the crosshead 24 of which is fixed to the main frame by a series of screws, one of which is indicated at 25 in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Suitably fixed to the sides 26 of the frame 23 is a front centrally apertured plate 27, through which the hose 16 and support strand 17 pass.

Suitably mounted in connection with the sides 26 of the frame 23, note FIG. 3 of the drawing, are upper and lower pulleys 2b and 29 for guidance of the hose 16 and strand 17. In the schematic showing, these guide pulleys Z8 and 29 are shown forwardly of the frame, omitting all illustration of the supports for such pulleys.

Rotatable upon the main frame 16 and movable longitudinally thereof is a spinner member 30, comprising a cylinder 31 supporting, at its inner end, a large gear 32 driven by a spinner actuating mechanism, generally identifed by the reference character 33. Supported between the main frame ill and the frame 11 is a supporting plate 34- for the motor 35 of this mechanism. On the shaft of the motor $5 is a pinion 36 meshing with a gear 37 on a spinner drive shaft 38. The forward end of the shaft 38 has a bearing support in a triangular plate 39 widely spaced with respect to the plate 34, the shaft 38 including an elongated pinion 40, with which the gear 32 meshes and moves longitudinally of the pinion 40 as the spinner member 39 advances forwardly in delivering the lashing line during the lashing operation and also moves backwardly in retrieving the lashing line in the unlashing operation. In these movements of the member 30, it will be apparent, from a consideration of FIGS. 1, 2 and 7, that the lashing line 19 moves out of and into the grooves of the thread 18. The triangular plate 39 is supported by three elongated rods, two of which are shown at 41 in FIG. 4 of the drawing. The position of these rods is also clearly noted in FIG. 5, where the screws 42 are shown which engage the forward ends of the rods, one of these screws being clearly shown in FIG. 4.

Disposed between the gear 37 and the shaft 38 I have diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawing at 43 a means for maintaining constant tension on the lashing line, the means being preferably in the form of an adjustable slip or magnetic clutch of any standard type and construction. This clutch will permit the lashing line to be withdrawn from the line storage means, comprising the threaded portion 18 of the main frame while, at the same time, the drive of the motor will permit retrieving of the line in the unlashing operation, the drive of the motor being constant in the re-winding operation; whereas, the clutch compensates for freeing of the line during the lashing operation, due to the slippage provided by the clutch mechanism employed.

Mounted on the forward end of the spinner member 30 are a pair of radially extending generally L-shaped arms 44, schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 and shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 6 of the drawing. These arms support on their horizontal portion two line guide means, or pulleys, 45 which guide the delivery of the lashing line to the hose and strand 1'7, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1; whereas, another pulley 46 is supported in connection with one of the arms to guide the lashing line 19 from the storage means 18 on the main hose is drawn toward the ship to be serviced. foregoing, it will be apparent that the lashing line 19 ,3 frame to the innermost pulley 45, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 and as will also appear from a consideration of FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 of the drawing.

, Mounted in the end of the hose 16 is a probe 47 having a contracted forward end '48, note FIG. 8 of the drawing. The probe has, at its inner end, a crosshead in the form of laterally extending arms 49. One of these arms is apertured, as seen at 50, for passage of the support strand 17 therethrough. In FIG. 8 of the drawing, the probe is shown with the arms 49 abutting a ring 51, function of which will be later described. The parts are shown in FIG. 8, preparatory to releasing the support strand for retrieving on board the ship which supports the device.

"However, in FIG. 8, the support strand is still shown in its clamped position on the probe. Secured to the probe is a bracket 52 supporting a pair of pins or rollers 53 in the upper portion of the bracket. Pivotally supported in this upper portion of the bracket, as at 54, is a locking cam 55, to which the free end of the lashing line 19 is attached, as by a setscrew 56. The offset portion 57 of d the cam is adapted to kink the support strand 17 between the pins or rollers 53, as diagrammatically illustrated at 58. The cam 55 includes a projection having a laterally extending finger-piece 59, by means of which the cam may be manually actuated to move the cam into inoperative position, releasing the strand 17, so that it can be retrieved by the operating winch or the like on the supply ship, preparatory to the next operation of the lashing device.

In the operation of arranging for the refueling of a ship from a supply ship, and keeping in mind that ships cannot, in rough waters, come in close proximity to each other, a line will be cast from the ship to be serviced to the supply ship and the end of strand 17 will be coupled with this line and the strand is then drawn to the ship to be serviced. Then, the strand 17 will be coupled with the winch of said ship, preparatory to drawing the strand to the serviced ship. When this coupling has been accomplished, the end portion of the hose with the probe 47 thereon is coupled with the strand through the medium of bracket 52 and its associated parts, as seen in FIG. 8, and'the lashing line 19 is attached, as seen at 56. The lashing device is then put into operation 'by actuating motor in rotating the member 30 to wind the line 19 around the strand 17 and the hose 16 as the strand 17 with the-lashing line 19 are drawn toward the ship to be serviced. It will, thus, be apparent that the hose 16 will be lashed to the support strand 17 by the line 19 as the In the feeds the spinner member 30 on the frame 10, the method of operation diifering primarily from the disclosure in my copending application Serial Number 153,898, issued in Patent Number 3,084,912, in the longitudinal movement of the spinner on the main frame, as the lashing line is first unwound from the thread groove and then later rewound in this groove in the unlashing operation. After the serviced ship has been refueled, the winch on the supply ship will feed the strand 17 and hose 16 reversely, in which operation, the device will perform the unlashing operation, as will be apparent from the foregoing description and the following statement.

The ring 51 constitutes part of a hydraulic or pneumatic control for automatically stopping operation of the lasher and retrieving feed of the hose 16 and support strand 17 as and when the arms 49 engage the normally extended ring 51 and move it into the position shown in FIG. 8. This control comprises two cylinders 60 suitably supported on outer surfaces of the plates 26, note FIG. 3, and mounted in the bores 61 of the cylinders are pistons, one of which is shown at 62 in the sectional portion of FIG. 8, the piston rods 63 extending throughthe end plate 27 and are coupled with the ring 51, one of these couplings being shown at 64 in FIG. 8 of the drawing. The forward ends of the cylinders 60 check forward or outward progress of the ring 51, which normally projects beyond the plate 27 during lashing and unlashing operations and until such time as the unlashing has been completed and the ring moved into the position shown in FIG. 8. In this rearward movement of the ring 51, the pistons operate to actuate a hydraulic or pneumatic medium to discharge the same through an exhaust port 65 at the rear end of the cylinders and this medium is passed through suitable fittings, as at 66, note FIG. 3, and then through pipes 67 coupled with a T-coupling 68, from which extends a pipe 6-9, note FIG. 2, which passes through the bore of the main frame 10, then out into the U-shaped frame 11, downwardly around the pulley 20, as seen at 69' in FIG. 2. Fixed to the rear end portion of the bottom plate 12 is a casing 70 having a port 71 therethrough, the pipe 69 being coupled with fittings '72 coupled with the casing '70, the casing having another fitting 73, with which a pipe is coupled to extend onto the servicing ship, so as to actuate the drives controlling feed of the hose 16 and strand'17, as well as toautomatically stop the motor 35.

It wil be understood that, on re-Starting operation of the lasher, the pressure medium will be introduced through the piping, the port 65 into the'cylinders to advance the piston 62 and the ring 51 as the hose 16 and support strand 17 are fed forwardly and pressure is maintained on the ring to retain it in the extended position, until this control is tripped, as previously described.

It will be noted, from a consideration of FIG. 8 of the drawing, that the rear ends of the cylinders are closed by plugs, one of which is shown at '74. It will also be apparent that the ring 51 includes, at its upper portion, a notch '75, through which the strand 17 passes.

It will be noted, from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing, that the forward ends of the arms 44 are joined by a crossplate '76, having a flared aperture 77 therein for free passage of the lashing line 19 therethrough, the lashing line being illustrated by dot-dash lines in saidfigure.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for lashing and unlashing a lashing line on a hose and support strand therefor, said device comprising a main frame having means for mounting the same in fixed position in connection with a suitable support, said main frame having means whereby a movable hose and support strand can pass therethrough, including means for support and guidance of the hose and strand, a lashing line, said device including a grooved drum lashing line storage means for storing a supply of said lashing line, a spinner rotatable around the drum, said spinner having dashing line engaging means to cause the spinner to traverse the grooved drum storage means in moving the spinner longitudinally of the drum in the lashing and unlashing operations, said last named means comprising a radially extending arm including lashing line guide means controlling guidance of the lashing lines onto said hose and support stnand in movement of the hose and support strand through said main frame, and means maintaining a constant tension on said lashing line.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the third named means includes guide pulleys at and spaced from end portions of said main frame for support of said hose.

3. A'device as defined in claim 2, wherein the third named means further includes a support and guide pulley for'said strand at and spaced from the forward end of the main frame.

4. A deviceas defined in claim 1, wherein the means for support and guidance of the hose and strand comprises a U-shaped frame mounted directly on the forward end portion of the main frame, and a pair of pulleys supported in said U-shaped frame.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said radially extending arm includes means supporting angularly disposed lashing line guide pulleys for guidance of the lashing line onto the hose and support strand and onto the grooved drum storage means.

6. A device for lashing and unlashing a lashing line on a hose and support strand therefor, said device comprising a tubular main frame, means at the rear end of the frame for mounting the same in connection with a suitable support, a lashing line, the other end of the main frame having a grooved drum lashing line storage means for storing a supply of said lashing line thereon, a spinner member in the form of a cylinder rotatable on said drum, means supported in connection with the main frame for rotating said spinner member, said spinner member having lashing line engaging means to cause the spinner member to traverse the grooved drum storage means in moving the spinner member longitudinally of the drum in the lashing and unlashing operations, said last named means including an offset arm, said arm having pulleys for guidance of the lashing line from the drum storage means to the hose and support strand to be lashed, and means projecting beyond the forward end of the main frame for guidance of the hose and support strand preparatory to application of the lashing line thereto.

7. A device as defined in claim 6, wherein the third named means includes a slip clutch maintaining constant tension on the lashing line.

8. A device as defined in claim 6, wherein a probe is fixed to the outer end of said hose, and said probe including means for coupling the support strand and lashing line therewith.

9. A device for lashing and unlashing a lashing line on a hose and support strand therefor, said device comprising a main frame having means for mounting the same in fixed position in connection with a suitable support, said main frame having means whereby a movable hose and support strand can pass therethrough, including means for support and guidance of the hose and strand, a lashing line, said device including a grooved drum lashing line storage means for storing a supply of said lashing line, a spinner rotatable around said drum, means supported in connection with the main frame for rotating said spinner, means on said spinner engaged by lashing line to cause the spinner to traverse the grooved drum storage means in moving the spinner longitudinally of the drum in the lashing and unlashing operations, said last named means comprising a radially extending arm including lashing line guiding means controlling guidance of the lashing line onto said hose and support strand in movement of the hose and support strand through said main frame, means maintaining a constant tension on said lashing line, a probe mounted in and projecting from the forward end of said hose, and said probe including means for coupling the support strand and lashing line therewith.

10. A device as defined in claim 9, wherein said last named means comprises a cam operatively engaging the support strand, and said cam having means for fixing the lashing line thereto.

11. A device as defined in claim 9, wherein said spin ner rotating means comprises a motor supported in connection with the main frame, and means comprising a gearing between the motor and said spinner for rotating said spinner.

12. A device as defined in claim 11, wherein part of said gearing includes an elongated pinion parallel to said main frame and actuating a gear fixed to said spinner.

13. A device as defined in claim 9, wherein the means maintaining constant tension on the lashing line comprises a slip clutch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,060,785 5/13 Pahl.

1,685,927 10/28 Miller l4l--l 2,153,072 4/39 Bookout et a1.

2,668,688 2/54 Stanford.

2,703,218 3/55 Haskell et al.

2,755,036 7/56 Terho 2421 17 2,822,146 2/58 Ridgers et a1.

2,942,740 6/60 Pristach 214-13 3,084,912 4/63 Pfundt.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. MILTON S. MEHR, JOSEPH STRIZAK, Examiners. 

1. A DEVICE FOR LASHING AND UNLASHING A LASHING LINE ON A HOSE AND SUPPORT STRAND THEREFOR, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A MAIN FRAME HAVING MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE SAME IN FIXED POSITION IN CONNECTION WITH A SUITABLE SUPPORT, SAID MAIN FRAME HAVING MEANS WHEREBY A MOVABLE HOSE AND SUPPORT STRAND CAN PASS THERETHROUGH, INCLUDING MEANS FOR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE OF THE HOSE AND STRAND, A LASHING LINE, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING A GROOVED DRUM LASHING LINE STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING A SUPPLY OF SAID LASHING LINE, A SPINNER ROTATABLE AROUND THE DRUM, SAID SPINNER HAVING DASHING LINE ENGAGING MEANS TO CAUSE THE SPINNER TO TRAVERSE THE GROOVED DRUM STORAGE MEANS IN MOVING THE SPINNER LONGITUDINALLY OF THE DRUM IN THE LASHING AND UNLASHING OPERATIONS, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A RADIALLY EXTENDING ARM INCLUDING LASHING LINE GUIDE MEANS CONTROLLING GUIDANCE OF THE LASHING LINES ONTO SAID HOSE AND SUPPORT STRAND IN MOVEMENT OF THE HOSE AND SUPPORT STRAND THROUGH SAID ARM FRAME, AND MEANS MAINTAINING A CONSTANT TENSION ON SAID LASHING LINE. 